Allowing one to use toilet facilities while avoiding hand contact with the toilet seat or other fixtures associated with the toilet facilities enhancing sanitary conditions. Health problems due to unsanitary practices are well understood. In order to eliminate the need to contact toilet fixtures, several electrical and compressed air solutions have been developed. The use of electrical or compressed air in toilet facilities, particularly commercial toilet facilities, is often impractical or undesirable for a number of reasons. First, the cost for electrical and compressed air equipment is expensive. Second, the complexity of electrical and compressed air systems increase repair and maintenance costs. Third, the placement of electrical power near plumbing fixtures is dangerous and increases the likelihood of electrical shock. Fourth, fixtures or other devices that are used to automatically lift and/or lower toilet seats are required to operate in wet and often dirty conditions which severely limits design options.
The lifting and lowering of the toilet seat is one action where avoidance of using one's hands is particularly desirable. In addition to the desire to raise and lower the toilet seat without using one's hands, there is also a desire to ensure that the toilet seat is returned to its lowered position after the toilet is used. The contention between men and women of “who left the seat up?” is often a source of disagreement. The problem with returning the toilet seat to its lowered position after toilet use is that manually doing so is easily forgotten and typically avoided to eliminate contact with toilet fixtures.
Therefore, a need exists to overcome the problems with the prior art as discussed above.